Plush Toys and Promises
by ImprisonedByTechnology
Summary: Charlus didn't want the other baby to play with It. He was weak and not worthy of his favorite plush toy.


Little Charlus Potter was tired of being handed around for anyone to hold. He wanted his comfortable crib with his warm blanket and his favorite plush toys. He was the Potter Heir, for Merlin's sake! He did not want to parade around the room in the arms of his father's annoying sisters or her mother's chatting companions. Besides, his diaper was starting to get heavy.

"Isn't he adorable?" said Felicia Yaxley, his mother's best friend. "He has your nose, Jezebel."

His mother laughed, but Charlus whimpered at being called adorable. Of course, he hadn't meant to whimper! He had wanted to express his discontent at being called _adorable_ without the need for weak sounds, but what could he do? He had not yet acquired the ability to communicate effectively with the witches.

But the wizards were another matter.

His father came into the room with the pale wizard who had given him his favorite toy. _For the last Heir of Death_, he had muttered with a small smile playing on his lips. Charlus had giggled at him. The wizard recognised him as powerful, as it should be, and his father approved of the man.

Charlus showed a toothless grin when Jacobus Potter entered the room with the wizard, only this time they weren't alone.

"Jezebel, let me take Charlus away for a while," said Jacobus and Charlus immediately agreed with a happy sound that let many of the witches call him _cute_. How embarrassing to call him that kind of things with other wizards present! "He can play with Acheron's son while we talk about business."

Charlus made his agreement noises again and Jacobus smiled. "See? He's thrilling to have some real company. Abraxas and him will get along nicely."

The pale man chuckled at the disgruntled faces of the witches, and Charlus hoped they got the idea of how he felt when they dared to call him _those_ things.

"Gilly," said Jacobus and a house elf appeared immediately. "Bring two of Heir Charlus' toys to my office, please."

Charlus grinned again and clapped his hands. He wanted his toys. _They_ never called him adorable.

When he and the other kid, as pale as his father's friend, were put down in a warm blanket to play, Charlus immediately grabbed his plush toy Thestral. He had loved It since the pale wizard gave it to him and It became his favorite companion on his many adventures. The pale kid, sitting besides him, didn't appear to know what to do.

Smiling to the kid, Charlus pushed the other toy towards him, hoping he would join It and Charlus on a new adventure. The kid took the toy, a horse-like creature with enormous wings that glowed gold and white, and giggled. Charlus giggled too and played with It. That is, until the pale kid tried to take it away from him.

Charlus was conflicted. He liked the kid and he thought he was good for a new friend, but he had tried to take It away. It was always supposed to be with Charlus, guarding him as his father had said. _Thestrals keep us safe, Charlus, because we are their masters_.

Charlus believed his father, and so it meant the little pale kid had to play with the golden horse instead of with It. Things were supposed to be _that way_.

When Charlus put It away from the other kid, he boy's eyes filled with tears. Feeble little wizards were not meant to be guarded by It, and so Charlus felt more at ease at having taken It away from the other kid. But then the grey eyes of the kid looked at him with sadness and Charlus felt bad. The kid might be weak, but wasn't that a reason to protect him?

Charlus wanted to take care of him. The sad grey eyes were not a pleasant sight, and Charlus wanted to play with a happy kid and not a moody baby.

Making a comforting noise, Charlus put his hand on the kid's cheek and grinned. Without saying anything (because even if Charlus knew many things, he didn't know how to speak yet), Charlus handed him It.

The kid giggled and smiled and his grey eyes were not sad anymore. _Death takes care of his own, Charlus_, his father had said.

That day, with the other boy playing with his plush Thestral, Charlus promised to himself (as much as any baby can) to protect the other boy for the rest of his life. And maybe, someday, the boy would be worthy of having a Thestral of his own.


End file.
